Hayne Palmour III gave me an apprentice education in the Engineering Research Dept. while studying for my BS and MS in Ceramic Engineering. My high school science fair plasma torch project got me a job in 143 Riddick growing crystals of sapphire and spinel as a freshman through graduate school. After retiring from Texas Instruments I came back to NC as Director of Engineering for Northrop Grumman SYNOPTICS. I have served as Adjunct Faculty at three different Universities over my career. Retiring again in 2007 I ventured with Anaxtal Silicon Llc as an SClaunch company at Clemson’s Advanced Materials Research Laboratories. Today I am seeking NSF funding for D2OXTAL LLC for solid-state fusion research. I am very thankful to NC State University for the opportunities afforded me because of my well-grounded understanding of materials.

Organizations/Involvement: Undergraduate Researcher Award

I came to NC State University with a B.S. in Physics from another university with no background in Materials Engineering. I learned a great deal about Engineering Research, semiconductors, and electron microscopy from Professor Raymond Benson. I also learned a great deal about teaching as a TA for MAT 201 from Professor Leon Jordan. After completing my M.S. degree, I transferred to the Electrical Engineering Department where I received a Ph.D. for my research in Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Microwave Power Devices in collaboration with the NC State Materials Engineering Graduates at Cree (Wolfspeed).

Organizations/Involvement: Graduate Student Certificate for Outstanding Teaching, 1980

While the NC State Materials Science and Engineering program gave me the rigor and the skills I needed to be a successful engineer, the Faculty instilled a curiosity about the materials world and provided me the opportunity to explore basic research. I felt the faculty genuinely cared about the future of the Engineers they were molding and wanted the best for their students. My Classmates and I spent many a long evening working on problem sets in Riddick Hall, helping each other learn and improve. I will always look back on my time in Riddick and my time at State fondly. At the advice of Bob Davis, I departed NCSU after my Bachelor’s Degree, drove across the country to California, and enrolled in an MS/Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University.

Organizations/Involvement: MSE Graduate Student Association, Event Volunteer, MSE Hall of Fame Award Winner

I have many fond memories of NC State from a personal and professional perspective. It was an opportunity to grow into a fully-fledged engineer and scientist under the direction of Drs. Robert Nemanich, Robert Davis, and other faculty in addition to members of my overall research teams. I gained the knowledge base and technical skills during my degree to excel in the field of semiconductors and microelectronics and have the successful career that I envisioned. On a personal level, I learned a lot about life in general at a crossroads during my early 20s. I was blessed with the support and fellowship on campus and in the local community to mature and make many positive memories I look back on.

Organizations/Involvement: Materials Advantage Student Chapter

My journey with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State began in Spring 2002. I was an international grad student, fresh off an MS from the University of Cincinnati, trading the Queen City for the City of Oaks as I embarked on a new chapter that would be as enriching as it was exciting. Starting as a Teaching Assistant, I soon transitioned to the world of research under the guidance of Professor J.P. Maria and our base of operations was the aptly named Research Building -1 (RB-1).

Now that I look back at my graduate school experience, I feel privileged to have been part of my grad school research group and the MSE department. It was a great learning and an overall fun experience. I have made strong friendships that have stood the test of time – over two decades!

Today, I find myself a mid-career scientist at 3M Co. (a diversified materials science enterprise) in Minnesota, tackling challenges in the energy and electronics domain. The seeds of my current focus were sown at NC State Univ., where I was introduced to a specific area of materials science that I continue to explore even today.

There are numerous fond memories of life as a grad student. I will mention just a couple. I recall the lively Friday afternoons, where lab cleaning morphed into impromptu gatherings at local pubs, fostering long conversations on various topics and some that transcended the confines of formal classroom teaching.

There was a welcome party for international grad students in Spring 2002 organized by the Office of International Services. It was very well organized, and we all had a gala time!

Another memory that stands out is the winter storm of 2002. A native of eastern India, the sight of snow and ice was a breathtaking experience. Armed with a camera, I captured the mesmerizing wintry scenes, sharing them with loved ones back home. However, the power outage brought a unique twist to our dining habits since we could not cook at home for a few days. We joined the crowd navigating the long queues at the few Hillsborough Street restaurants fortunate enough to have electricity,
all for a chance at a warm meal.

In 2013, I returned to NC State, representing 3M at the Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics, which is co-located at NC State University. It was a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reconnecting with Professor Maria and old research group members now charting their impressive professional paths. The transformation of the Centennial Campus, since I had last walked its grounds, was indeed awe-inspiring!

These are exciting times for the field of Materials Science and Engineering! Hopes for the next century would be for the department to attain even greater heights, continue to make breakthroughs in MSE, cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship at all levels (both undergrad and grad), and most importantly train students so that they become the problem-solvers and change-makers of tomorrow.

Organizations/Involvement: Event Volunteer

This is the place for me to impart the wisdom from my 20 years in the engineering world. Maybe I should reflect on all my professional successes, tell you about the fruits of my labor, etc.

I won’t. The truth is I don’t have much of the above. Hell! I have barely twelve years of experience in the field out of the twenty years or so since graduating, and a lot of that has failed.

What I will do is offer you this. Engineering is a mindset and a purposeful attitude in life.

You fail. You perform a failure analysis on the situation and yourself and try not to make the same mistake again. You learn.

Sometimes it’s a skill. Sometimes it is a point of practice that illumines some subtle point of theory that you didn’t quite get in class.

Occasionally, you succeed. Sometimes it’s a realization or a miracle of training-based inspiration that takes a completely bolloxed process and turns it into a shining moment of success and glorious satisfaction before you move on to the next (now suddenly less) insurmountable challenge that you solve to get a paycheck.

Life is tough, but our training makes us some of the toughest optimists out there. Don’t ever forget that.

With my commitment to the NC State Football team, I chose the MSE department because I wanted to be challenged and have flexibility. I gained far more than I would expected from this department. The professors were all accommodating in giving us the tools to develop as engineers while enjoying the process. Most importantly, I was able to have a network of classmates for 2-3 years to walk this journey together. (Brown earned both a master of MSE and a bachelor of MSE.)

Organizations/Involvement: NC State Wolfpack Football

I love MSE at NC State, our department is full of awesome people and opportunities, and this is exactly where I want to be. I always want to be more involved and am encouraged to do so every time.

Organizations/Involvement: Materials Advantage Student Chapter, Undergraduate Researcher Award, Undergraduate Researcher with Dr. Bharat Gwalani, Wolfpack Motorsports Formula SAE, Hyperloop Club